Chapter 34: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (3)

The axe pierced deeply into the minotaur's chest. Its ribs shattered apart, producing a sharp, cracking noise.

The axe’s edge must have punctured its lungs because the minotaur couldn’t even manage a proper scream. A raspy, labored breath escaped its throat, and air hissed out from its half-open chest.

“Guh..."

I kicked its abdomen with my right foot, yanking the axe free as I landed back on the ground. The minotaur staggered backward before collapsing slowly to the ground.

Thud—

A faint tremor ran through the earth as a small cloud of dust rose where it fell.

“Oh my..."

“Wow..."

I turned to the sight of all my party members staring at me, wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

Hmm, was it really that surprising? I guess it did feel unnervingly perfect...

Seeing their astonished expressions, I found myself at a loss for words. Even Ha Hee-Jeong, who was usually unflappable, looked genuinely shocked.

If even she was that surprised, how must it have looked to the others?

Feeling a bit awkward just standing there, I decided to walk over to them.

“Uh, why are you all looking at me like that?"

“Why are we looking at you? Su-Hyeok, what the fuck did you just pull off?"

“Huh? I just fought how I normally would. Though, the axe did feel like it suited me really well..."

“Fought how you normally would? No way! Su-Hyeok, that was on a

completely

different level than before."

A different level?

I didn’t feel that way, so “completely different level” seemed exaggerated. Wielding the weapon felt comfortable, so I had just moved in a way that made sense. This had been my first time fighting with an axe, and I had never wielded a sword or mace until entering the tower either. I always just moved instinctively, never consciously thinking about how I would swing my weapon.

“Su-Hyeok oppa, I don’t think you realize how different it was. I mean, how should I put this?"

“It felt like you didn’t waste a single movement. Of course, you’ve always been efficient, but this fight was on another level—clean and precise. I don’t think it is possible to improve on, I’d say."

“Yes, exactly! That’s what I was trying to say. Cole really has a way with words."

“Ah, thank you."

Seo Ho-Su and Seo Ha-Rin nodded in agreement with Cole's assessment. Meanwhile, I could feel my face getting warm. Impossible to improve on? They were really laying it on thick...

After being praised so thoroughly right to my face, I finally understood the true meaning of over-complimenting.

Please, stop.

I had already figured out that the double-headed axe suited me perfectly, so there was no need to keep praising me. I shot a pleading look at Ha Hee-Jeong, hoping she would help us move along by changing the subject. She seemed to have received the message, but instead of helping she just gave me a mischievous grin.

Oh no, that’s her "I am going to tease you" smile...

“Seriously, it was such a surprise. You looked so hot swinging that axe—Ha-Rin couldn’t take her eyes off you."

“What!? Unnie!"

***

About ten minutes after fighting with the minotaur, our party encountered a group of orcs. There were eight of them, but it wasn’t a particularly challenging battle.

Should I say I slashed or chopped? I am unsure how best to describe it.

"Ugh!"

In any case, my axe cleaved one of the orcs' shoulders in half. I kicked its chest, yanking the axe free from its body. Using the axe with one hand versus two resulted in a clear decrease in power output. Also, it just didn’t feel nearly as satisfying.

“Hmm, wielding the axe with one hand feels noticeably less smooth."

“Yeah, I think you need to wield the axe with both hands to really feel its full power. It just doesn’t have the same impact otherwise."

“Exactly! You were amazing earlier. Are you thinking of making the double-headed axe your main weapon from now on?"

“I think so. The axe feels like the best fit for me. I plan to use it for the rest of this floor, but who knows what the future holds. Unfortunately, that means my mace will go to waste..."

“True, you can’t just abandon such a good weapon."

Seo Ho-Su nodded understandingly. Though the mace had served me well, it was clear that continuing to use it alongside the axe wouldn’t be ideal.

Still, I couldn’t just leave it behind, so I decided to endure my frustration and dual-wield the axe and mace until we cleared this floor. Even though wielding the axe with one hand wasn’t as satisfying, it was still more than enough to handle the enemies on the ninth floor.

Huh?

I had been chatting with Seo Ho-Su when I suddenly noticed Seo Ha-Rin’s gaze fixed on the mace. When I turned to look at her, her eyes were practically sparkling.

What’s up with her all of a sudden? Is she interested in the mace?

Sensing my curiosity, Ha Hee-Jeong gave a small nod, confirming my suspicion. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the mace and Seo Ha-Rin. It was clear she was hinting that I should give it to Seo Ha-Rin.

Should a priest wield a mace?

It seemed a bit unconventional.

Then it hit me that Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned something about Seo Ha-Rin back on the sixth floor.

Wasn’t she known for being a “hard-carry” priest?

I had assumed that meant she was exceptional at healing, but now it seemed more likely that it referred to her combat abilities.

Honestly, I have only been lugging this mace around since it would be a shame to leave it behind...

If I took it back to the waiting room, it would probably end up like my shield and sword—collecting dust in a corner. It made more sense to pass it on to Seo Ha-Rin, especially if she had the potential to be a combat-oriented priest.

Besides, having someone who could defend the party’s rear was important.

Up until now, Ha Hee-Jeong had done such an excellent job that I hadn’t needed to think about it. She had our back, I had our front, while Cole and Seo Ho-Su did an excellent job supporting the two of us.

However, we couldn’t always guarantee that Ha Hee-Jeong could focus on covering our backline. It would be better to start training Seo Ha-Rin before the floors became more challenging.

Plus, fighting without the mace’s extra weight would be more comfortable for me.

“Ha-Rin, would you like to try using this mace?”

“Huh?”

Seo Ha-Rin looked startled, clearly surprised that I had noticed her interest in the mace. She seemed a bit embarrassed.

“You might not need it often, but it’s good to have a way to defend yourself in case enemies target the rear. What do you think?”

“Oh! I’d love to, but... Su-Hyeok oppa, your mace isn’t just any ordinary mace... Oh! I’ll give it back to you after we finish the ninth floor!”

“No need. The double-headed axe suits me better and I’d just end up storing the mace in the waiting room. If you think it could be useful, it’s yours.”

“But still...”

“Really, it’s okay. The axe is perfect for me, so I don’t need the mace anymore. You should use it rather than let it gather dust.”

“This is such a valuable item... Su-Hyeok, thank you so much.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s no big deal.”

When I handed her the mace, Seo Ha-Rin’s face lit up with gratitude, and she bowed repeatedly. Once again, I felt a bit awkward receiving such an overwhelming display of appreciation. I had given it to her because I no longer had any use for it, but seeing her so thankful was nice.

After all, there were plenty of people who didn't know how to be grateful.

“Ha-Rin, are you sure you’ll be okay? Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Seo Ho-Su looked at her with concern, but Seo Ha-Rin nodded enthusiastically, filled with determination.

“Don’t worry, Dad. I can handle it. No, I have to handle it since Su-Hyeok oppa gave it to me.”

I couldn’t help but wonder what had suddenly made her so proactive. She had certainly changed a lot since the incident on the seventh floor...

She engaged in more conversations with the party, and her interactions with Seo Ho-Su had become even more affectionate. It probably had something to do with almost losing her father. The moment when the Weretiger King charged toward our party probably tortured her still.

Maybe she thought if she had been a little stronger when the Weretiger King arrived, her father wouldn’t have turned tiger-like.

Regardless, it was a positive change. A drive for improvement was crucial for any climber.

“Well, let’s keep moving.”

***

[Escape from the Maze of Kashatum. Time remaining: 6 hours 47 minutes.]

This time, we encountered a horde of fifteen goblins. I was getting frustrated that we kept running into more monsters instead of finding a hidden room or mission.

Glancing quickly at Doppy, I wondered if fighting goblins made it uncomfortable, but it seemed unfazed. Then again, it hadn’t had any issues when we fought goblins on the first floor.

This is getting annoying... Should I just quickly take care of them myself?

No, this might be a good chance to test Seo Ha-Rin’s skills.

It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. These weren’t orcs, just goblins—perfect for practice. After all, if what Ha Hee-Jeong said was true, Seo Ha-Rin had some talent in this area.

“Ha-Rin, I’m going to let one goblin slip through to be your practice target. If it gets too dangerous, Ha Hee-Jeong and Cole can step in.”

“Got it! I’ll give it a try!”

“Yup, good luck.”

The sooner she trained, the better. Also, there was no real risk since even if Seo Ha-Rin made a mistake, Ha Hee-Jeong would be there to cover for her.

Seo Ho-Su seemed a bit concerned, but after realizing the goblins were the perfect practice target, he nodded in agreement. He patted Seo Ha-Rin’s shoulder with a steady, reassuring hand.

“Ha-Rin, you’ve got this! But don’t push yourself too hard!”

“Okay, Dad!”

“Everyone ready? Let’s wrap this up quickly.”

“All right, let’s go!”

After a brief exchange, we clashed with the goblin horde. Well, calling it a clash would be an overstatement since our party bulldozed through them.

In any case, I intentionally let one goblin slip by.

Even though he had been preparing himself, Seo Ho-Su instinctively turned to check on the goblin as it passed by. I was surprised since normally, he wasn’t the type to lose focus like that...

“Ho-Su! Eyes front! Hee-Jeong will handle it.”

“Oh, right. Got it.”

Seo Ho-Su quickly regained focus, returning his attention to the fight ahead. It was only natural for him to be worried about her. Interestingly, Cole seemed to be concerned as well. He lost his focus a little when he deliberately avoided the goblin I had let slip through, although he didn’t stop it from charging toward the rear of our group.

“Kiieek!

Stupid humans!"

"Hiya!"

Thud—

The lightning-infused mace came down in a flash, striking the goblin warrior on the head just as it was about to swing its sword. The goblin’s skull caved in under the force of the blow, and it collapsed to the ground.

“Oh...?"

“Huh?"

Seo Ha-Rin stared at the fallen goblin bewilderedly, as if she couldn’t quite believe what she had just done. She wasn’t scared or flustered, seemingly more perplexed at how easy it had been.

Even Cole, who had been poised with his bow, let out a surprised noise. Seo Ho-Su was caught completely off guard, his mouth slightly agape while mid-fight.

Honestly, I completely understood their reactions since I was just as surprised. Ha Hee-Jeong had hinted at Seo Ha-Rin’s potential, but I hadn’t expected her to execute the attack so smoothly and effortlessly. Only Ha Hee-Jeong smiled knowingly from the back as if she had seen this coming all along.

Hmm, maybe Seo Ha-Rin should have chosen a melee weapon like I did

The thought crossed my mind as I watched her. Even though I had only seen her in action once, she clearly had exceptional melee talent. Her movements were too precise to be dismissed as beginner’s luck or a fluke.

I glanced at the wand in Seo Ha-Rin’s left hand. It suddenly seemed so inadequate. With a shy smile, she cautiously spoke up.

“Um... Can I try that again?”

“Yes, of course. Go ahead.”

We had already taken down more than half of the goblins, but there were still a few left. I let another goblin slip through toward the back. Actually, “let slip” wasn’t exactly the right phrase since the goblins had been mostly defeated, with their morale shattered. It was more accurate to say I pushed one back toward her.

Seo Ho-Su and I casually engaged the remaining goblins, driving one toward Seo Ha-Rin.

"Kiieek!

Die!"

Perhaps it realized it had been underestimated because the goblin charged at her with renewed fury.

“

Hiya!"

Crack—

Another goblin’s skull caved in. This time, a small lightning spark crackled inside the splatterings of brain matter.

It seemed I wouldn’t have to worry about the rear guard anymore, not with Ha Hee-Jeong and Seo Ha-Rin covering it. Up until now, I had fought conservatively to avoid letting enemies slip through, but maybe I could afford to be a bit more aggressive from now on.

This experiment has gone well enough. We can finish the battle now.

Three goblins remained. I charged forward, swinging my axe in a wide arc.

“Kiieek!”

“Gurgh!”

The first goblin’s torso was nearly split in half, and the momentum carried my axe into the second goblin, cleaving through its body as well. Both goblins were pinned against the wall of the maze, impaled by my axe. I yanked my axe free, driving off my left foot as I surged forward, bringing the axe down on the last goblin’s head.

“Kiieek!”

The goblin tried to block with its sword, but it was no match.

Clang—

The goblin’s sword flew out of its hand, and with a satisfying crunch, my axe cleaved through its skull and into its chest. Blood gushed from the severed neck like a fountain.

“Wow, using both hands really does make a difference. Just watching you wield it was immensely satisfying.”

“Haha, maybe you should consider switching weapons too, Ho-Su.”

“No way! I’m a swordsman, through and through. Haven’t I told you? The sword is the king of all weapons. There’s nothing better!”

I didn't really remember hearing that story, but I played along, nodding and changing the subject.

“I think you mentioned it before... Hey, what’s that over there?”

Once Seo Ho-Su started talking about things like that, he could go on forever. Who knew what else he would bring up, so it was best to have cut him off there.

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Over there, where the goblin horde was standing. Do you see that strange box?”

“Oh, yeah, that. Why is there just one box sitting there by itself?”

About twenty meters ahead, a single box was stuck against the maze wall. It looked just like a treasure chest, but...

“Doesn’t it seem suspicious?”

“Yeah, it does. It definitely looks off.”